APPF assumes security responsibility for Tarakhil Power Plant

By Lt. Col. John Hutcheson
Director of Public Affairs, APPF Advisory Group

KABUL, Afghanistan – The Afghan Public Protection Force took over security at the Tarakhil Power Plant outside of Kabul today in the first official transition from a private security company to the APPF in accordance with Presidential Decree 62.

Leadership from the APPF, NATO Training Mission – Afghanistan, and the Louis Berger Group – Black & Veatch (LBG-B&V) joint venture which oversees the training of the Tarakhil staff, attended the ceremony. The 105 megawatt power plant, a project executed by LBG-B&V for the U.S. Agency for International Development, provides electricity to hundreds of thousands of Kabul city residents.

APPF Deputy Minister Jemal Abdul Naser Sidiqi highlighted the significance of the occasion and the importance of the ongoing transition.

“The growth of the APPF is exciting because it will allow us to standardize the execution of security services within Afghanistan,” said Deputy Minister Sidiqi. “Most importantly, it will ensure that security services support the rule of law and respect the will of the government and the Afghan people.”

The deputy minister stressed that the APPF will deliver reliable, transparent security services to all customers, enabling development work to continue and providing confidence to future investors in Afghanistan.

According to Bill Haight, Chief of Party for the Louis Berger Group – Black & Veatch joint venture, today’s transition to APPF security signified more than just a change of uniform.

“Now the multiple [development] projects of tomorrow will be safely secured by the APPF. And I know that this will tie our projects even more closely to the Afghan people that we are here to serve,” said Mr. Haight.

The APPF is currently working to transition security for development projects, convoys and commercial businesses from private security companies to the APPF. By March 2013, security for ISAF bases and construction sites will also transition from private security companies to the APPF.

A member of the Blue Hackle private security company passes a rifle to a member of the Afghan Public Protection Force signifying the transfer of security responsibility at the Tarakhil Power Plant March 15, 2012. The APPF officially took over security for the plant during a ceremony attended by APPF leadership and NTM-A officials (Photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt Terri L. Barriere).

To date, the APPF has signed 14 contracts for security service with domestic and international customers, including 12 contracts with companies performing USAID projects. More contracts are in various stages of negotiation.

Since September, NTM-A’s APPF Advisory Group (AAG) has partnered with the APPF to help build its capability and implement the transition of security services. The AAG is comprised of experts in security operations, finance, contracting, logistics and a host of other specialties who work shoulder to shoulder, mentoring and advising their Afghan counterparts on a daily basis.

 “What we saw today was the culmination of a great deal of hard work by a lot of dedicated people in the APPF and NTM-A,” said Brig. Gen. Cedric Wins, director of the APPF Advisory Group. “The momentum of transition is building. There should be no doubt that the APPF is open for business and ready to serve its customers.